HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Mike Helfgot on football blog | And the player of the year candidates are …

November 21, 2011|Mike Helfgot on High School Football and Basketball

As much as football is about teamwork and synergy and the whole being greater than the sum of 11 parts, championships are won by teams with great individual players.

Predicting playoff games does not appear to be my strong suit, but I am expecting close games in all four state finals Saturday.

The teams are evenly matched, and so are the individuals who have distinguished themselves as Player of the Year candidates.

Look for one of the following players to emerge from the crowd, help his team win a state championship and forever be known as the 2011 Player of the Year.

The list is alphabetical and not exclusive, as the entire Preps Plus staff will decide on the award.

Aaron Bailey, Bolingbrook: The 6-foot, 215-pound junior is the Bolingbrook offense. When Naperville Central proved it was able to contain the Raiders' option in the semifinals, Bailey went shotgun in an empty backfield and took off on every play. He had his high school version of the "Heisman moment" with the game-winning, 60-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and he's rushed for 1,834 yards and 28 TDs this season. Bolingbrook doesn't throw often – he's 50-of-118 for 899 yards with 10 TDs and seven INTs – but he has a great arm and will likely have to use it to beat a well-schooled Loyola defense.

Ty Isaac, Joliet Catholic: A junior and a physical specimen like Bailey, Isaac has backed up his status as the state's top overall prospect regardless of class by rushing for 2,114 yards and 36 TDs on 177 carries and catching 16 passes for 360 yards and seven TDs. In the process, he's managed to overshadow the state's top-ranked senior running back, Northwestern-bound teammate Malin Jones (168 carries, 1,494 yards, 25 TDs).

Anthony Maddie, Aurora Christian: From a local standpoint, the best part about Friday's 1A-4A games is the chance to see Maddie against what figures to be quality competition from downstate Mt. Carmel in the 3A final. The Western Michigan-bound Maddie, who was Joliet Catholic's starting quarterback in the Hilltoppers' loss to Montini in the 2009 5A final as a sophomore, has put up numbers that cannot be ignored. He's probably a long shot, but if he adds a great state-final performance to his passing (213-355, 3,706 yards, 50 TDs, 14 INTs) and rushing (99 carries, 925 yards, 14 TDs) totals, he will deserve consideration.

Malcolm Weaver, Loyola: He doesn't have Bailey's size, power and projectability, but Loyola's senior quarterback has been every bit as important to his team's success. Forced to compete for his job in the offseason despite throwing 28 touchdown passes as a junior, Weaver has been masterful. A true dual threat, he's thrown for 2,226 yards with 26 TDs and seven INTs on 180-for-303 passing and rushed for 449 yards and five TDs.

Jordan Westerkamp, Montini: The state's all-time leader in receiving yards (3,954) and touchdowns (60), Westerkamp has already won two state championships and was the dominant player in Montini's 34-21 victory over Chatham Glenwood last season. Montini quarterback John Rhode (140-203, 2,447 yards, 35 TDs, 4 INTs) has been unbelievable in six games since returning from injury, but Westerkamp is the Broncos' candidate for what he's done all season and throughout his record-setting career.